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"I come from a world without ghost stories."
Roe Deer snapped that line out with absolute confidence, painting it as if that delusion had once existed and could exist again in the former Daydream employee's life.
To a society that had spent decades grappling with a world existing alongside ghost stories, Roe Deer’s words sounded like unprovable nonsense, he was essentially asking for blind faith. It was like snatching away a crutch from someone with a broken leg.
A world without ghost stories.
A world without contamination.
Kwak Jekang kept smiling, though exhaustion washed over his face. Four years had passed since the incident in the Segwang Special City. The cowardly employee everyone thought would never return had come back with newfound confidence, acting like the prophet of some cult.
Kwak Jekang found the coward ridiculous.
Every single idea Roe Deer spewed felt like a direct claw at Kwak Jekang’s ego. And when the talk shifted to how much better off the world would be without supernatural entities woven into the fabric of daily life. Kwak Jekang finally snapped, barging right into Roe Deer’s debate with a neck-scarred agent.
"Roe Deer, you say the world would be better without ghost stories?" Kwak Jekang smiled. He didn't look angry, just like a researcher pitying an intern’s terrible idea. He clapped his hands over-cheerfully. "Now! Let me try and recall how many blessings we've gotten from ghost stories. If I remember correctly, the former employee Falcon's prosthetic arm is a product of the very thing you're trying to erase."
He flicked his eyes toward a short-haired woman, who glared back at him in sheer disgust.
"And isn't it a fact that most of the people here died and came back to life precisely because of a ghost story's blessing?!" Kwak Jekang’s eyes sparkled even brighter as he licked the corner of his lips in pure fascination. "Ah, what does it feel like to die and live again?? Is it fun?—"
SLAM!
A heavy weight forced his body down onto the table.
"Heh... Mr. Roe Deer. Fools use their muscles to win arguments."
"Yeah... a fool," a tired, lazy voice chimed in, making Kwak Jekang's smile widen even further.
"Sergeant?!" He couldn't stop his hands from clenching into tight fists. Kwak Jekang almost burst out laughing, if only he hadn't remembered that not a single person in this group was on his side. Laughing would only highlight how insane he was acting. The mad researcher obsessed with ghost stories that was him. "Aren't you a product of Darkness yourself? Your contamination? Oh, or do you think erasing ghost stories will somehow save your friend trapped inside one?"
The pressure on his back dug in harder, fueled by a quiet spark of rage inside J3.
Kwak Jekang didn't mind. If anything, his heart was overflowing. Sharp critiques kept spilling from his lips, as if it were the only desperate thing he could do to defend his rights.
"Can't any of you think about the benefits you're throwing away for nothing?"
A government agent spoke up. "You talk like someone who leeches off Darkness as a source of income."
Ah, the agent should be throwing that pathetic line at Cheong Dallae instead.
"I don't mind working without pay."
"Ignore him, Agent. His head isn't screwed on right."
Thank you, former employee Falcon.
"And then..." Kwak Jekang paused for a long moment, his green eyes locking onto Roe Deer's pitch-black ones. The man before him looked slightly pale, but tried to stand his ground against the crazy glare Kwak Jekang sent his way. "What about the contaminated humans?"
"I can only offer a theory." Roe Deer looked away, his confidence wavering slightly when he accidentally made eye contact with Badger standing beside Kwak Jekang. "IF a contaminated human is still capable enough of holding onto their identity, mind, and sanity... theoretically, it should feel like losing half of your liver."
To Kwak Jekang, someone like Roe Deer trying to build a wall of trust right in front of him was like a lamb trying to persuade a wolf. Of course, he wasn't the wolf in question. The person who should oppose the idea the most was the man currently pinning him down, trying to silence a counterargument that was actually more logical than anything else.
The weight on his back slowly easing up was a clear signal. J3 shared the exact same thought.
Once the pressure completely lifted, Kwak Jekang took a deep breath of relief. J3’s long strides broke the momentary silence as he walked toward the tightly closed door. Slow and steady, the sound of the sliding door pulling open created an awkward atmosphere.
Kwak Jekang quickly adjusted his glasses and lab coat. "Alright then! Looks like our Sergeant is sulking, and I don't have anything else to add anyway. So enjoy yourselves."
Kwak Jekang smiled broadly and walked out before anyone could stop him.
"Ah, our Sergeant is sulking~"
J3 let out a soft huff, but didn't react aggressively. He walked lightly down the endless corridor. The red sky and rumbling thunder outside the window bled into the hallway, turning what should have been black marble tile into a thick swamp of blood.
Terrified faces were embedded along the walls as they walked, the top ones fully intact like severed human heads, lining up all the way down to the floor. The faces near the ground were melting, as if their skin and blood formed the very tiles beneath them.
The apocalypse of the ghost story world that Roe Deer had mentioned earlier.
Still, wasn't it magnificent? Red always looked pretty paired with anything especially when that red came from the Darkness he worshipped.
Kwak Jekang whistled, almost touching the carved, miserable faces protruding from the wall. He tried to scrape a piece of a face off with his fingernail, but before he could, J3 grabbed his wrist. The firm grip held his urge suspended in the empty air between them. There was no anger, just J3 keeping Kwak Jekang away from the wall.
"Yes? Are you worried about me?"
An exhausted look was carved deep into the man's face. J3's golden eyes, usually possessing dead-fish pupils, trembled slightly. His gaze was locked onto Kwak Jekang, as if he wanted to say something.
Kwak Jekang waited.
Outside, thunder rumbled again, spewing out the screams of human heads raised into the sky. The dead and contaminated were trapped in a loop of dying and coming back to life every few minutes.
In a world with ghost stories, they remained alive. Death didn't entirely erase their existence.
"Roe Deer is right."
"Is it because he's your favorite human now that you agree with all his decisions?"
"??"
"In case you forgot, you once envisioned a world without Darkness. Decades ago, that was something I believed in, and I still do."
J3 tilted his head, looking completely clueless. The sheer obliviousness made Kwak Jekang tighten his fists inside his lab coat pockets. The man's stupidity suffocated him, forcing him to face the reality that their memories were buried far too deep in the past.
Roe Deer is right, that was all the Sergeant was trying to tell him.
The apocalypse had to be resolved, ghost stories had to be erased, and the 'normal' world had to be pulled back into their lives. Kwak Jekang clicked his tongue, feeling exhausted at the thought of having to explain things to the fool in front of him. Wouldn't completely erasing ghost stories directly impact the Sergeant's very existence?
The person who should be the most terrified was J3 himself.
Yet, there was no fear of death. A dull boredom refilled those yellow eyes reflecting the blood-red light.
Kwak Jekang felt a pang in his heart. He bit his own tongue, as if it were the only way to forget the indescribable pain, silenced inside his own delusion.
Who was he even trying to worry about?
---
The final decision was made through a vote a few hours later: 75% of the group agreed to participate in Operation 'World Without Ghost Stories.'
Like it or not, Kwak Jekang—one of the two remaining researchers—was assigned to Fox's counseling room, the place now housing the Dream Incubator. The glowing yellow solution inside the transparent tank wrapped around an egg the size of a baby. An egg that would soon serve as a bridge to the world Roe Deer dreamed of.
How ironic, erasing the existence of ghost stories using an item derived from one. But he didn't refuse. The bright color of the tank looked like the most precious gold coin, and the fact that it might be the very last Darkness he ever handled made it memorable, didn't it?
Day one passed, then day two, day three... until a full hundred days had gone by.
Aside from the two researchers, the team was split into two groups. One explored the Darkness to collect Dream Essence. The other group, or rather, just one person, guarded the counseling room.
Not out of fear of outside dangers, but because of Kwak Jekang himself. Chaos and madness, two words perfect for sabotaging an operation. He was the person with the highest chance of betraying the team.
"Do you really agree with this project?" Kwak Jekang asked with a faint smile. He shifted from beside Lee Yeonhwa over to J3, who was sitting in a chair, casually crouching down to rest his elbow on one of the Sergeant's thighs. "You're basically committing suicide."
A small huff. "Mind your own business."
"Aren't you my business too?"
The Sergeant didn't reply, keeping his focus on the glowing tank in the middle of the room. Kwak Jekang looked over too. Slowly, his hands clenched into fists. Traces of the past nested in his head once more.
"You've always been drawn to pretty colors, haven't you?"
"They match your eyes."
The figure then scattered like sand washed away by the waves. Kwak Jekang slowly stood up. His smile remained, but behind his glasses, a trace of longing flickered in his eyes.
Who was he trying to fool?
Who was he trying to save?
The man sitting in the chair didn't even have the desire to live. Even if he died today, nothing in Kwak Jekang's world was supposed to change.
Ha... he let out a long sigh.
A wave of dizziness hit his head. As he turned around, a hand caught his wrist, and in one swift movement, their positions swapped. The Sergeant was now standing, and Kwak Jekang was forced into the seat. J3 stared at him intently for a moment before turning away, his slouched figure disappearing past the door.
Lee Yeonhwa came in to take his place, efficiently handing him a cold, damp towel. She carefully helped Kwak Jekang take off his glasses and placed the wet towel over his closed eyes.
"You should rest, Sir."
"Just keep working, I won't be long."
"Yes, Sir."
He closed his eyes. The fever in his body only registered moments later. Staying up for days and overthinking had left his body completely drained. Then, Kwak Jekang felt the tip of someone's shoe tap against his. A soda can was pressed against his cheek, the cold sensation snapping him back to his senses.
He reached out blindly. The structure of the long, slender fingers holding the can made him freeze for a moment.
He took the drink, and a plastic bag filled with cold beverages was dropped into his lap. "Thanks, Researcher Lee."
No response came, and Kwak Jekang chose not to pry.
On day 108, their project hit a snag. Roe Deer died, and there was no guarantee he would come back.
On day 318, questions regarding the stalled operation and Roe Deer's fate began surfacing. One of the agents who argued most with Roe Deer frequently forgot his anger toward Kwak Jekang's proposal to call off the operation.
On day 467, their operation suffered a major blow. Cheong Dallae discovered their hideout in the Namhae branch. The team was forced to disband, and Kwak Jekang blended into civilian life, living in hiding under Cheong Dallae's surveillance.
On day 512, a new religious cult began buzzing among humans, a faith worshipping Darkness entities as savior figures.
On day 812, Roe Deer returned from the dead, and the operation resumed amidst an onslaught of anomalies abandoning their territories.
On day 1313, the points needed to activate the egg inside the incubator were finally gathered. But the real question remained: would it actually work?
The group he was with looked like a bunch of dying souls.
Kwak Jekang pushed himself to the outermost edge of the group, refusing to place his tiny shred of hope on the former employee Goral tasked with making the wish.
He was an outsider to the team, a mere extra brought along simply because they had no choice. He scanned his surroundings. The crowd gathered around the incubator tank, but he couldn't spot the person he was looking for. J3 wasn't there, nor was the bureau agent.
Where was the Sergeant? He wanted to know.
The wish uttered by the former employee Goral caused the egg inside the incubator to shake violently. Cracks spread across the shell, creating the illusion that something was about to hatch.
A blinding, multi-colored light burst out as the shell cracked open, pulling the surrounding darkness right into the egg.
Kwak Jekang's eyes widened. The thick light being drained from Badger's body snapped and vanished. The contaminated man collapsed, but slowly pushed himself back up with the help of his two partners. The marks of contamination on him were gone, and his once-dull brown eyes regained their spark.
"There's hope..." Kwak Jekang whispered softly.
He immediately left the room.
There was hope... Kwak Jekang felt excitement bursting through every corner of his heart.
"Jekang-ah, are you in such a rush to see me?"
There was hope...
Kwak Jekang saw his reflection in the window, his messy hair and rumpled shirt were unfit for meeting someone important. He quickly tried to fix his appearance as best as he could.
"Jekang-ah, are you dressing up just for me?"
Badger's contamination had been removed without sucking away his humanity.
There was hope...
"How sweet. How many things do you want to say to me this time?"
The sound of clashing blades caught his attention. The agent he hadn't seen in the crowd was blocking wild, fierce claws. A massive wolf entity stood before him, slowly being sucked toward a single destination he knew all too well.
"WATCH OUT!!"
He ignored the warning. Massive claws lunged at him, but only grazed his cheek before slamming into the door behind him.
Kwak Jekang laughed, a rough laugh that gradually dissolved into soft sobs, followed by tears streaming down his face. He reached out and grabbed the heavily trembling, furry arm. Several pairs of yellow eyes locked onto him, tearing his heart to pieces.
What hope?
Who was he trying to fool?
"Researcher Kwak, what's your report on Squad Leader B?"
"The contamination on the employee Wolf has definitively stripped him of his memories and cognitive functions. The traits observed differ from other employees contaminated in Darkness Qterw-A-37. Given that the Darkness became inaccessible after we brought Squad Leader B out, I conclude that the Big Bad Wolf, one of the core entities of that Darkness was absorbed into Squad Leader B himself. I believe it was his final attempt to save his squad members."
"Put him back into the Darkness."
"Director Cheong, I guarantee that utilizing him in the security team will yield far better results."
Right. That was Kwak Jekang himself.
.
.
.
The world gradually returned to normal, heading toward a reality where ghost stories were nothing more than internet urban legends, casual entertainment to pass the time, no longer dangerous. But just as the world of ghost stories hadn't suited everyone, the normal world didn't fit everyone either.
Kwak Jekang shut himself inside his apartment. The pain he had bottled up for decades finally shattered the day J3's body vanished right before his eyes.
The constant self-deception had lost its target. The empty shell he had always treated as his past lover could no longer comfort him. He could no longer lie to himself that as long as his lover's body was nearby and alive, everything would be okay. His denial phase had officially ended.
Erupting rage surfaced just minutes later. Who was he supposed to blame?
He wanted to vent his rage at Goral, who had made the wish.
He wanted to vent his rage at Badger, who had given him hope that contamination could be cured.
He wanted to vent his rage at Roe Deer, who had initiated the idea of a world without ghost stories in the first place.
He wanted to vent his rage at what was left of J3, cursing him for the utter stupidity he had consciously chosen, even after Kwak Jekang had spelled it out for him.
In the end, he blamed himself.
The foolish idea that J3 could be saved was pure delusion. Buying youth elixirs while waiting for the man's memories to return was just his ego overriding his rationality.
Kwak Jekang felt an explosive anger, one he could no longer hold in.
If only he hadn't joined that project... could he at least pretend J3 was still alive somewhere, just parted from him for a long time?
He curled up beneath a thick blanket, hiding himself away. Someone sat on the edge of the bed, running a hand through his fading white hair. The large mirror in front of him showcased the wrinkles steadily deepening on his face.
"Jekang."
That man's voice again...
The source of every complex emotion he possessed.
Kwak Jekang couldn't take it anymore. Could his imagination just erase the figure already?
Yet, no matter how hard he tried, the hallucination stayed by his side, watching him just like in the old days. Its presence suffocated him. He laughed, his anger mixing with tears. His heart pounded wildly, forcing him to reach out toward his hallucination.
"Don't stand up. Sit until you feel calm. I'll stay with you until you fall asleep."
A bitter taste lingered on the tip of his tongue.
"Don't worry."
As if that would ever come true.
In the end, Kwak Jekang slowly closed his eyes, letting the gentle breeze from the vent lightly brush his hair, imagining that his lover was right there with him.
He woke up at dusk. The ringing door chime signaled that someone was visiting.
He slowly swung his legs off the bed, dragging his feet toward the door. The peephole revealed a Bureau agent, the woman he had last seen with J3. Agent Haegeum.
He rubbed his temples slowly, a lingering headache throbbing in his mind. He wanted to ignore her.
"I brought the stuff Jay asked me to give you."
"I don't accept trash."
"Fine, if you don't need it."
Agent Haegeum returned the next day at dusk, at the exact same hour.
"I brought the stuff Jay asked me to give you."
"I don't want it."
"See you tomorrow."
She came back the next day.
And the day after that.
And the day after that.
And the day after that.
This time, Kwak Jekang was waiting outside the door when Agent Haegeum arrived. She offered a faint smile and waved at him. She looked somewhat familiar and coming from the Bureau, the only familiar in his memory was a rookie agent J3 had wanted to recruit decades ago.
"I want to see what he left behind."
Agent Haegeum nodded. "A few items and notes. I helped write down the notes."
Kwak Jekang narrowed his eyes. "You... you know what's in the message?"
The woman nodded. "I'm not going to tell you. He said he wanted you to read the letter yourself. Also..."
She reached into her jacket pocket and handed two small bells to Kwak Jekang. "These have lost their function, but I hope they bring you some peace."
"Thank you."
The very first sincere words he had spoken in decades were given to an enemy of the company he had dedicated his life to.
"I'm also leaving a phone number. Call if you ever need help. I'm still a government worker, and you're a civilian now."
Kwak Jekang nodded. He carried the large square box inside and dropped it onto the floor. A sweet hint of the female agent's perfume lingered around the edges of the box.
He pulled off the lid to find several items neatly arranged inside.
An outdated black suit jacket with tiny stitches around the pocket.
Kwak Jekang recalled the worried expression on J3's face when a needle had accidentally pricked Kwak Jekang's finger. "Is it bleeding? Let me finish sewing it."
A notebook filled with findings from various Darkness anomalies his lover had explored. Handwriting he knew inside out, containing a single line [A gift for Jekang <3]
He held his breath, pausing for a moment. He shifted his gaze toward the twilight sky outside the window. A bright orange hue painted the horizon, overlapping with a deep blue. The image of his lover from the past leaned against the window, giving him a faint smile.
A worn-out Daydream security team uniform, neatly wrapped in plastic. Kwak Jekang froze... a part of him remembered the contaminated man he had always viewed as an empty shell.
Did he still remember me?
Kwak Jekang bit the inside of his lip.
His fingers picked up a few letters placed underneath the security uniform. There were three in total. He opened the first one.
[Stay alive.]
He opened the second letter.
[You have to live.]
Was this a curse or a mercy? Kwak Jekang pulled up the corner of his lips into a bitter smile.
Would the final letter contain the exact same thing? Essentially, yes, but the words were framed differently—
[You promised to enjoy a life without Darkness. I still remember it, and I hope you remember the day we made that promise, too.]
That day was decades ago.
In his past, J3 was a Field Exploration employee. Tall, neat, confident, and... a fool. Kwak Jekang still remembered the day the man had walked up to him during a break.
"Jekang, I had a dream."
"A world without Darkness, where I don't have to worry about you dying."
"If a world like that really exists in the future, I want to take you mountain climbing and play at the beach."
"Then let's buy a duck egg and hatch it. I'll name the duckling Quack Jekang."
Kwak Jekang looked at a single egg preserved inside a glass jar.
Guilt-tripping me, huh?
Forcing Kwak Jekang to stay alive through such a cheap trick. Kwak Jekang pulled the jar close to his chest, clutching it tight with whatever lingering grief remained inside him.